The present invention relates generally to semiconductor device processing techniques, and, more particularly, to a method and structure for improving CMOS device performance and reliability by using single stress liner instead of dual stress liner.
More recently, dual stress liner (DSL) techniques have been introduced in order to provide different stresses in P-type MOSFET devices with respect to N-type MOSFET devices. For example, a nitride liner of a first type is formed over pMOSFETs of a CMOS device, while a nitride liner of a second type is formed over the nMOSFETs of the CMOS device. More specifically, it has been discovered that the application of a compressive stress in a pMOSFET channel in the direction of the electrical current improves carrier, hole, mobility therein, while the application of a tensile stress in an nMOSFET channel improves carrier, electron, mobility therein. Thus, the first type nitride liner over the pMOSFET devices is formed in a manner so as to achieve a compressive stress, while the second type nitride liner over the nMOSFET devices is formed in a manner so as to achieve a tensile stress.
For such CMOS devices employing dual liners, the conventional approach has been to form the two different nitrides using separate lithographic patterning steps. In other words, for example, the first type nitride liner is formed over both pMOSFET and nMOSFET devices, with the portions of the first type nitride liner over the nMOSFET devices being thereafter patterned and removed. After an optional formation of an oxide layer, the second type nitride liner is formed over both regions, with a second patterning step being used to subsequently remove the portions of the second type nitride liner over the pMOFET devices. Unfortunately, due to inherent inaccuracies associated with aligning lithographic levels to previous levels, the formation of the two liners could result in a gap or underlap there between. In particular, this gap will cause problems for subsequent etching of holes for metal contact vias since, during the etching, the silicide in the underlap/gap areas will be over etched. This in turn will increase sheet resistance of the silicide.
On the other hand, the two liners could also be formed in a manner such that one liner overlaps the other. In fact, the reticles used for the two separate patterning steps are typically designed to ensure an overlap such that there is no gap between the two liner materials. However, having certain regions with overlapping nitride liners creates other problems with subsequent processing due to issues such as reliability and layout inefficiencies. For example, a reactive ion etch (RIE) process for subsequent contact formation may have to accommodate for a single-thickness liner in some areas of the circuit, while also accommodating for a double-thickness (overlapping) liner in the interface areas. Moreover, if such overlapping areas are excluded from contact formation, a restriction results in terms of available layout area and critical dimension (CD) tolerances. The overlap will also cause problems during subsequent etching of holes for metal contact vias since, during the etching, all of the silicide will be over etched except for the silicide under the overlap areas. This can increase sheet resistance and junction leakage of devices.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to be able to implement the formation of a stressed CMOS device in a manner that avoids the problems discussed above related to misalignment of dual stress liners.